Plying and twisting frame adapted to deliver cross-wound yarn packages



NOV. 26, J. BEYER PLYING AND TWISTING FRAME ADAPTED TO DELIVER CROSS-WOUND YARN PACKAGES Filed Aug. .'50, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A ,al

36 .lil 7 -gl5 L24 gg 27 23 3s 3|. 2 'A 2B 3o ATTORNEYS Nov. 26, 1963 J. BEYER FLYING AND TwIsTING FRAME AD APTED T0 DELIVER CROSS-WOUND YARN PACKAGES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 50, 1960 INVENTOR Jen" 13e Je y- BY'ZZ,

ATTORNEYS Nov. 26, 1963 Filed Aug. 30, 1960 .J` BEYER FLYING AND TWISTING FRAME ADAPTED TO DELIVER CROSS-WOUND YARN PACKAGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig- 5 INVENTOR Ten o" Be yer' ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oil ice 3\,lil,8ll Patented Nov. 26, 1953 nlltl PLYNG AND TWISTING FRAME ADAPTED T DELIVER CRGSS-WUND YARN PACKAGES Jen Beyer, Deift, Netherlands, assigner to W. C.

t Hart 8: Zn. Instrumentenen Apparatenfahrielr N .V.,

Rotterdam, Netherlands, a corporation of Netherlands Filed Aug. 30, 1964), Ser. No. 52,828 Claims priority, application Netherlands Sept. 3, 1959 8 Claims. (Cl. 57-76) This invention `is relative to a plying and twisting frame adapted to deliver cross-wound yarn packages.

The plying together and twisting of a pluraility of strands can be performed on any downtwister, operating e.g. with a ring zand traveler array, but the known downtwisters deliver the yarn on a cop which should be rewound by a separate machine to provide a cross-wound yarn package such as a cone. On the other hand, any uptwister arranged for entwining a plurality of yarns can deliver cross-wound yarn packages, but it can only start from assembled yarn lwhich has been produced in a preceding separate step by winding a plurality of strands together onto one package.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a twisting frame which can start from a plurality of strands each wound on its separate package whereas it plies and twists these strands and delivers the plied and twisted yarn on cross-wound packages. Another object of the invention is to provide a high speed twisting frame not subject to the speed limits imposed by a traveler. Still another object is to provide a twisting frame adapted to delivery large yarn packages of unknotted yarn. To accomplish this, use is made of the principle of centrifugal twisting which up to now has only been used in the spinning of artificial bers. In spinning artificial tiibers, c g. rayon, the strands after leaving the spinneret pass a coagulating bath and subsequently are fed to a so-called piddle tube which delivers the strand in a rotating pot in which a spin cake is built up by the centrifugal action which deposits the strand against the rotating side Iwall of the spin pot, During its depositing the strand is twisted. After drying, the strand is revvound from the spin cake onto a yarn package. In order to obtain a greater amount of twist in the strands, it has also been proposed to transfer the strands from the iirst spin pot to la second spin pot before drying of the spin cake, this transferring causing an extra `amount of twist to be inserted in the strand.

The above principle of centrifugal twisting is used in the plying frame according to the present invention, in which each plying unit comprises -two rotatable twist pots each cooperating with a yarn guide for axially guiding yarn into it, means for traversing said yarn guides with respect to said pots, means for separately supplying a plurality of yarns, -a yarn feeding device for assembled feeding of said plurality of yarns alternately into the yarn guide of one of said twist pots and a take-up device for taking up the plied and twisted yarn from the other of said twist pots and crosswinding it into a yarn package.

Thus it is provided a compact, high speed frame capable of performing the whole process of plying together a plurality of yarns, twisting it to a desired degree and winding the plied yarn onto a cross-wound package in a single pass. lIt obviates the need for a separate assembling frame or separate apparatus for rewinding cops into cones. The plying frame is capable of continuous production since one pot is emptied and its yarn wound onto a cone during the iilling of the second pot and vice versa. There is suiiicient time available for the change-over from a full pot to an empty pot since owing to the shortening of the yarn by the twisting process, the emptying of a pot take less time than the lling of the adjacent pot and in the time period Ileft the necessary changing actions may be performed.

The traversing movement of the yarn guides should preferably be such as to produce a parallel Winding of the yarn in the pot. vIt has been found that a parallel winding gives a maximum dense/ness of the yarn package in the pot and provides for a faultless removal of the yarn from the pot.

It is preferred to provide the lower ends of the yam guides, that is the ends located in the twist pots, with freely rotatable mouth pieces.

yIt is further preferred that the feed roller of the yarn feeding device is slightly displaced to one side of the central piane between the two twist pots -so that the inclination of the yarn leaving the feed roller with respect to a vertical is the same independent of to which twist pot the yarn is fed.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

FIGURE la shows a partial cross section of a plying and twisting frame yaccording to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE lb shows a cro-ss section of the yarn supply part of the frame.

FIGURE 2 shows a cross section of a detail of the guide tubes.

FIGURE 3 is a showing of the drive system for the spinning pots.

The plying and twisting `frame according to the present invention has a frame `structure comprising a main supporting plate l of sheet metal or cast iron and a tube like supporting structure, of which the tubes 2 rest on the floor and carry the plate vl. The twisting frame has two symmetrical sides, only the left side of it being shown in FIGURE la and being described below.

Viewed in the longitudinal direction of the twisting frame, the supporting plate l carries four rows of twist pots, the drawing showing twist pots 3, 4 of the two left rows only. The twist pots 3, 4 are rotatably journalled in the supporting plate 1 by means of a construction which closely resembles the supporting portion of commercial t-wist spindles. The stationary Ispindle parts 5, 6 are lixed in the supporting plate 1 in -known manner, as by a screw thread connection. `lournalled in said stationary parts 5, 6 are rotatable parts 7, 8 to which pot carrying members 9, l@ are fixed. The members 9, 10 are provided with a whorl 11, 212 on their lower side, whereas the twist pots 3, 4 are attached to the upper sides of the members 9, 10 e.g. by a screw connection.

`Each twist pot 3, 4 is enclosed by a stationary protective jacket 3a, 4a serving to diminish aerodynamical losses caused by rotation of the twist pots.

A pulley assembly for driving the twist pots is mounted centrally between the spindles 5, 6 of two adjacent plying units. Said assembly consists o-f .a casing -13 i'lxed in the supporting plate l in any known manner, e.g. by la screw thread connection, a shaft 14 being journalled in said casing i3. The upper end of the shaft 14 carries a pulley l5 and the lower end of the shaft 14 carries a pulley 116. -A belt (not shown) transmits the drive of an electric motor (not shown) to the pulley lr6, whereas a second belt (not shown) transmits the drive `from the pulley l5 to the ywhorls ll, l2. The belt for transmitting the drive from the electric motor is laid over the drive pulley of the motor and then in zig-zag fashion over all pulleys le on the one side of the twisting frame, subsequently over all pulleys 16 on the other side of the frame and iinally back to the drive pulley of the motor, whereas each pulley l5 has its belt passed over the ifour whorls such as il, lf2 of the two adjacent plying units, so that all twist pots of the two plying units rotate in the same arrastra J3 direction. Moreover the belt on the pulley of each successive set of two plying units is passed in opposite direction to the preceding belt over its pulley 15 so that all twist pots of the Whole frame rotate in the same direction. Of course, other drive arrangements are also possible.

The twist pots 3, l4 are each closed by a cover 17, 18 provided with a central aperture through ywhich extends a yarn guide tube or piddle tube 19, 20. Said guide tubes 19, 2t) are arranged in a lateral extension 21 of a traverse rail 22 which in a manner known per se is adapted for making a traverse motion so that it is slowly reciprocated for obtaining the desired winding pattern of the yarn in the twist pots. The guide tubes 19, may be xed in the extension beam 21, but it is preferred to have them removably connected to said extension beam 21 and provide that it is possible to immobilize a guide tube in a chosen position with respect to the twist pot.

FIGURE 2 shows a detail of the lower end of the guide tube 19, 20. A mouth piece 23 is rotatably mounted in the lower end of each such guide tube by means of a socket :24 and rows of balls 25 and 26. Tlhe lower end of the mouth piece 23 is provided with nadial grooves 27.

A yarn =feed device is mounted -above the twist pots 3, 4 so that it is slightly displaced to one side of the plane located vertically and centrally between the twist pots. The yarn ifeed device is carried by support tubes 28 which rest on support tubes 29 and 30, the latter forming part of the tube shaped frame structure and being connected with the tube `2 and a central support tube 31 respectively. The yarn lfeed device consists of a feed roller 32 and pressure rollers 33 and 34 removably mounted on both sides of the feed ro'ller respectively, above its horizontal median plane. The feed roller shafts preferably extend continuously over the length of the twisting frame and are rotatably journalled at regular intervals in supports 35 fixed to the tubes 28. The pressure rollers rest in open bearing sections of the supports 35 so that they may be removed ttor threading of the yarns.

lIn the embodiment shown, the yarn feed device is adapted to simultaneously feed the strands to one twist pot yand with-draw the strands from the other twist pot. Although this is preferred for simplicity of design, it is not necessary, land separate feed `and Iwithdrawal means may be provided.

Above the yarn feed device there is mounted a rack 36 for carrying yarn supply packages 37 (FIGURE 1b). The curved supply raok 36 is mounted in inclined position so that it extends over the gangway and is easily laccessible for replacing empty packages. ln a preferred embodiment, the rack is adapted for holding eight yarn packages for each plying unit. Pour packages then will be simultaneously emptied by pulling off the strands over its ends, and `four pack-ages are replacement packages, the strands of which may be connected in a manner known per se to the running packages. A pig-tail guide 43 is located approximately in the center of curvature of the rack 36, and a set of yarn brakes 44, `45, 46,147 is located between the pig-tail guide 43 and the yarn feeding roller 32. Of course, the yarn supply can be otherwise designed, and rotating supply packages may e.g. be used.

Means yfor winding the plied yarn to cross-wound packages are provided laterally of each set of twist pots 3, 4. An `arm 38 extends away .from the twist pots and its free end lcarries a guide roller 39 provided with helical grooves for guiding the yarn onto a cone. A second arm 40y is pivotally mounted on the tarm 38 and its free end is adapted to carry a cone.

The cone 57 is held against the vguide roller 39` by the arm 40 which is pushed upward by a push bar 52. The lower end of the push bar 52 is provided with a sheave 5.1 around which extends a cable 49. One end of the cable 49 is connected to the trame part 3S (this connection is hidden behind the sheave 50) and the other tend of the cable `49 passes over an eccentric sheave 5() yand carries a weight 4S. The eccentricity of the sheave 50 is chosen according to the predetermined change of the pressure to be exerted for correctly holding the cone of increasing size against the .guide roller 3.9. rPhe upward force which the weight 48 exerts on the lower end of the push bar 52 via the cable 49 is transferred by the bar 52 to the arm 40 and lwhen the size of :the cone 57 increases, the weight 48 is lifted `and the sheave 50 is rotated over an arc so that the leverage o-f the Nveight 48 increases due to the eccentricity of the sheave 50, which compensates for the increasing size and weight ott the cone S7. A shock absorber 41 insures a permanent contact between the cone 57 land the roller 39. When stepping on the pedal 42, the lower end of the push bar 52 is moved downvward against lthe `force of the -weight 48 exerted thereon via the cable 49, so that the arm 40 is lowered under compression of the shock absorber `41.

'Ehe particular drive arrangement is shown in FIGURE 3, `wherein the particular drive belt B is driven by the pulley P operatively connected to a motor. As can be seen, the belt B is connected in zig zag fashion to drive the pulley 16 in the same direction. Also, as shown in the drawings, the plurality of plying units are each driven by belt b.

The plying and twisting frame described operates as follows:

A plurality of strands 53, 54, 55, 56 are passed from the supply rack 36 to the pig-tail guide 43 and via the yarn brakes 44, 45, 46, 47 to the nip between the feed roller 32 and the pressure roller 33. In this point they are assembled and the driven feed roller feeds the assembled strands together to one of the guide tubes 19, 20. Assuming that the strands are fed to the guide tube 19 they leave said tube via its mouth piece 23 and are deposited against the Iinner wall of the rotating pot 3 by the centrifugal force, a parallel winding of the strands against said wall being caused by the traverse motion of the guide tube I19. It has been found that a parallel winding is to be preferred above a cross winding since it gives a maxi- -mum denseness of the yarn package which is built up in the pot and it provides for a faultless removal of the yarn from the pot in a later stage.

'During the motion of the strands from the mouth piece 23 to the inner wall of twist pot `3, the yarn forms a rotating radius in the pot and this rotating radius causes the mouth piece 23 to rotate synchronously with it, owing to the grooves 27. It has been found that this provides for an important advantage, that is that the twisting of the yarn caused by its rotation, takes place in the axial leg of its trajectory (that is in the guide tube 19) whereas there is no twisting in the radial leg of its trajectory. Twisting during axial movement is in general to be preferred and moreover there is no danger of entanglement of fibers of adjacent strands of the winding with the oncoming strand, since this strand does not rotate about its own axis at that moment.

After the twist pot 3 has been filled with yarn, the strands are severed above the guide tube 19 and are led into the other guide tube 20 for filling the pot 4. The strands left protruding from the guide tube 19 are led to the nip between the feed roller 32 and the pressure roller 34 and around the pressure roller 34 to the guide roller 39 for being cross-wound onto the cone 57. Upon leaving the yarn package in the twist pot 3, the yarn is further twisted. `Owing to the rotating mouth piece 23 and the grooves 27, this twisting again takes place during the axial leg of the trajectory of the yarn, that is in the guide tube 19.

In the drawing the situation in which the strands move from roller 33 to tube 19 and from tube 20` to pressure roller 34 is indicated in full lines, whereas the situation in which the strands move from pressure roller 33y to tube 20 and from tube `19 to pressure roller 34 is indicated in broken lines.

The twisting takes place in two stages, the rst in moving of the strands into the pot and the second in moving of the strands out of the pot, and it is preferred to choose the `amount of twisting so that just more than half the twisting (eg. 51%) is done in feeding the yarn to the twist pot, whereas the remaining portion (eg. 49%) is done during the withdrawal of the yarn from the twist pot. This ensures that the twist pot which is being emptied will be empty before the twist pot which is being filled is full, so that there remains sufficient time for making the necessary change-over from one pot to the other pot. Evidently other divisions of the twist are also possible.

lThe traversing motion of the guide tubes 19, is only necessary during the filling of twist pots 3, 4, whereas during the emptying of said pots the traversing motion is not only unnecessary but indeed undesirable in some instances. Accordingly it may be desirable to disconnect the guide tube of the twist pot which is being emptied from the traverse rail and fix it in a predetermined position with respect to the twist pot, e.g. so that the mouth of the guide tube is at the middle of the height of the package in the twist pot.

A primary advantage of the presently described apparatus is its high operating speed and its continuous operation. The speed of rotation of the twist pots is not limited to the maximum speeds imposed by a traveler. Furthermore it is possible to obtain large packages which are moreover in a shape which is immediately commercially usable (cone). Moreover a separate preceding assembling step is not necessary, since the assembling of the strands is performed on the frame itself.

What I claim is:

1. A plying and twisting frame adapted to deliver crosswound yarn packages comprising a plurality of plying units, each plying unit of said frame comprising two rotatable twist pots, a yarn guide cooperating with each twist pot for axially guiding yarn into it, means for traversing said yarn guides with respect to said twist pots, means for separately supplying a plurality of yarns, a yarn feeding 'device for assembled feeding of said plurality of yarns alternately into the yarn guides of said twist pots and a take-up device for alternately taking up the plied and twisted yarn from said twist pots and crosswinding it into a yarn package, said yarn feeding device feeding yarn into the yarn guide of one of said twist pots while said take-up device is taking up yarn from the other of said twist pots.

2. A plying and twisting frame for `delivering crosswound yarn packages, having a plurality of plying units each comprising two rotatable twist plots, a yarn guide extending longitudinally in each of said twist pots, means for traversing said yarn guides with respect to said pots, means for holding a plurality of yarn supply packages so that yarns from said packages can pass to a common yarn feeding device, a yarn feeding device for feeding the assembled yarn alternately into ione of said yarn guides, and a take-up device for alternately taking up the plied and twisted yarn from said yarn guides and cross-winding it into a yarn package, said yarn feeding device feeding yarn into the yarn guide of one of said twist pots while said take-up device is taking up yarn from the other of said twist pots.

3. A plying and twisting frame for delivering crosswound yarn packages, having a plurality of plying units each comprising two twist pots arranged side by side and rotatable in the same direction, a pair of spaced parallel tube shaped yarn guides each extending axially in one of said pots, means for traversing said yarn guides with respect to said pots, means for holding a plurality of yarn supply packages, rneans for guiding yarns from said packages to a yarn feeding device, a yarn feeding device for feeding yarns alternately into one of said tube shaped yarn guides, and a take-up device for alternately taking up the plied and twisted yarn from said tube shaped yarn guides and cross-winding it into a yarn package, said yarn feeding device feeding yarn into the yarn guide of one of said twist pots while said take-up device is taking up yarn from the other of said twist pots.

4. A plying and twisting frame according to claim l, in which the lower ends of the yarn guides are provided with freely rotatable mouth pieces.

5. A plying and twisting fra-me according to claim 1 in which the yarn feeding rdevice includes a feed roller which is slightly displ-aced to one `side of the central plane between the two twist pots, so that the inclination of the yarn leaving the feed roller with respect to a vertical s he same, independent of to which twist pot the yarn is 6. A plying and twisting frame adapted to deliver crosswound yarn packages Icomprising a plurality of plying units, each plying unit of said .frame comprising two rotatable twist pots, a yarn guide cooperating with each twist pot for axially guiding yarn into it, means for traversing said yarn guides with respect to said `twist pots, means for separately supplying -a plurality of yarns, a yarn feeding device for assembled feeding of said plurality of yarns alternately into the yarn guide of said twist pots and a take-up device for alternately taking up the plied and twisted yarn from said twist pots and cross-winding it into a yarn package, said yarn feeding device feeding yarn into the yarn guide of one of said twist pots while said take-up device is taking up yarn from the other of said twist pots, said take-up device comprising a piv'otally mounted package `carrying arm, ya counterweight disposed adjacent to said arm, a iiexible elongated member connecting said counterweight to said arm and a rotatable eccentric support engaging said member so as to change the leverage yof the counter weight in accordance with the position of the package-carrying arm.

7. A plying yand twisting frame for delivering crosswound yarn packages, having a plurality of plying units each comprising two transversely adjacent twist pots of four longitudinal rows of twist pots, a drive transmitting shaft with an upper and a lower pulley being vertically Journalled in the frame between each alternate plying unit, -a drive belt passing over the upper pulley of said shaft and subsequently over the whorls :of each of the four adjacent twist pots so as to drive =all pots in the same direction, and a main drive belt being passed over 'a rnain ydrive pulley and subsequently in zig-zag fashion over the lower pulleys of all `of said shafts on the one side of the frame and then yover the lower pulleys of said shafts on the lother side of the frame, the belt on the upper pulley of each successive set Iof four twist pots being -laid in opposite direction to the preceding set of four twist pots.

8. The process of plying and twisting -a plurality of yarns comprising the steps of providing :a plurality of yarn supply packages, feeding the yarn strands from each of said packages Ito an assemblying point, feeding the `assembled yarn from the assemblying point into a yarn guide member which is longitudinally traversed with respect to a twist pot, building up a yarn package against the inner wall of the twist pot by the centrifugal action of the twist pot on the yarn =leaving the yarn guide member, terminating the supply `of yarn to the twist pot when said pot is filled, withdrawing the yarn from the yarn package in the twist pot lunder further twisting of the yarn and cross-winding said yarn onto a yarn package, the withdrawing of the yarn from said twist pot being executed simultaneously with the building up lof a yarn package against the inner wall of an adjacent twist pot, `and the yarn from said adjacent twist pot again being withdrawn `simultaneously with the building up of a yarn package against the inner Wall of said rst twist pot so as to have a continuous process so that the yarn withdrawn alternately from either of said twist pots is uninterruptedly wound ronto a single cross-wound package.

(References on following page) 7 References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS DeFerranti July 22, 1913 Basset-t July 3, 1928 5 Hartmann May 24, 1932 C Sorensen Oct. 1, 1940 Prince-Srnith Feb. 18, 1941 Wright Oct. 5, 1948 Svaty et a1. Apr. 14, 1959 Hamel Feb. 28, 1961 

6. A PLYING AND TWISTING FRAME ADAPTED TO DELIVER CROSSWOUND YARN PACKAGES COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PLYING UNITS, EACH PLYING UNIT OF SAID FRAME COMPRISING TWO ROTATABLE TWIST POTS, A YARN GUIDE COOPERATING WITH EACH TWIST POT FOR AXIALLY GUIDING YARN INTO IT, MEANS FOR TRAVERSING SAID YARN GUIDES WITH RESPECT TO SAID TWIST POTS, MEANS FOR SEPARATELY SUPPLYING A PLURALITY OF YARNS, A YARN FEEDING DEVICE FOR ASSEMBLED FEEDING OF SAID PLURALITY OF YARNS ALTERNATELY INTO THE YARN GUIDE OF SAID TWIST POTS AND A TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR ALTERNATELY TAKING UP THE PLIED AND TWISTED YARN FROM SAID TWIST POTS AND CROSS-WINDING IT INTO A YARN PACKAGE, SAID YARN FEEDING DEVICE FEEDING YARN INTO THE YARN GUIDE OF ONE OF SAID TWIST POTS WHILE SAID TAKE-UP DEVICE IS TAKING UP YARN FROM THE OTHER OF SAID TWIST POTS, SAID TAKE-UP DEVICE COMPRISING A PIVOTALLY MOUNTED PACKAGE CARRYING ARM, A COUNTERWEIGHT DISPOSED ADJACENT TO SAID ARM, A FLEXIBLE ELONGATED MEMBER CONNECTING SAID COUNTERWEIGHT TO SAID ARM AND A ROTATABLE ECCENTRIC SUPPORT ENGAGING SAID MEMBER SO AS TO CHANGE THE LEVERAGE OF THE COUNTER WEIGHT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE POSITION OF THE PACKAGE-CARRYING ARM.
 8. THE PROCESS OF PLYING AND TWISTING A PLURALITY OF YARNS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PROVIDING A PLURALITY OF YARN SUPPLY PACKAGES, FEEDING THE YARN STRANDS FROM EACH OF SAID PACKAGES TO AN ASSEMBLYING POINT, FEEDING THE ASSEMBLED YARN FROM THE ASSEMBLYING POINT INTO A YARN GUIDE MEMBER WHICH IS LONGITUDINALLY TRAVERSED WITH RESPECT TO A TWIST POT, BUILDING UP A YARN PACKAGE AGAINST THE INNER WALL OF THE TWIST POT BY THE CENTRIFUGAL ACTION OF THE TWIST POT ON THE YARN LEAVING THE YARN GUIDE MEMBER, TERMINATING THE SUPPLY OF YARN TO THE TWIST POT WHEN SAID POT IS FILLED, WITHDRAWING THE YARN FROM THE YARN PACKAGE IN THE TWIST POT UNDER FURTHER TWISTING OF THE YARN AND CROSS-WINDING SAID YARN ONTO A YARN PACKAGE, THE WITHDRAWING OF THE YARN FROM SAID TWIST POT BEING EXECUTED SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE BUILDING UP OF A YARN PACKAGE AGAINST THE INNER WALL OF AN ADJACENT TWIST POT, AND THE YARN FROM SAID ADJACENT TWIST POT AGAIN BEING WITHDRAWN SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE BUILDING UP OF A YARN PACKAGE AGAINST THE INNER WALL OF SAID FIRST TWIST POT SO AS TO HAVE A CONTINUOUS PROCESS SO THAT THE YARN WITHDRAWN ALTERNATELY FROM EITHER OF SAID TWIST POTS IS UNINTERRUPTEDLY WOUND ONTO A SINGLE CROSS-WOUND PACKAGE. 